Cabinet inclosure



Aug. 23, 932. N. A. BEST 1,872,652 l CABINET INCLOSURE Filed Jan. 19,1951 zu -ZZ alf 322g l. Z a 40 a /4k`j VL`\\\\\\\\:\\\\\\\\ 30 y u A6 Sl .3Q .32 o INVENT BY We@ A, www;

'A TTORNEY l Patented Aug. 23, 1932 Y f UNITEDl STATES lml'rarn OFFICENORMAN A. BEST, OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA This invention relates to metalcabinets and more particularly to roll-away fronts commonly used withsuch cabinets.

It has heretofore been the practice in the construction of cabinets ofthis character to provide'a roll-away front-having a plurality ofnarrow, interlocking slats, the jointsv between adjacent edges ofneighboring slats being such that relative movement thereof will bepermitted. Y

One of the problems in the designof joints for such purposes is toprovide a joint which will permit movement of the slatsfaround a verysmall radius, thaty is to say, will permit a slat to move through agreat angle with respect to its neighbor, the jointy at the -same timebeing so constructed as to prevent'undesired separation of neighboringslats and an object of this invention is the provision of a joint forthis purpose which will solve the problem above stated.

A further object is al slathaving its edges so constructed as to enablethe securing of a liner or a glass panel in place in the slat with greatfacility. Y

Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art uponreference to the following description and the accompanying drawing inwhich Fig. 1 shows a cabinet having a roll-away front of the type founduseful with this invention.

Fig. 2 shows in cross section a slat having "25 its edges formed inaccordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing a liner in place.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig.

1, showing a glass panel in place.

As indicated in the drawing, there is provided a metal cabinet having abase 10, side wall 12 and a top 14. The front of the cabinet includes aplurality of relatively narrow slats 18 interlocked with respect to eachother in a manner to be described, and preferably provided with glasspanels 20. The slats are so grouped as to form complementary partitionsadapted to be moved towards and from each other, the partitions meetingon the llleS CABINET INoLosU'nE Application fuea January i9, 1931.serial No. 509,592.-y

22when the front is closed and being movable by the handles 24.'l

The form of slat which has been 4found particularly useful for cabinetsof this general character, as shown in Fig. 2, includes a face portion30 having a male edge flange on the left hand side and a female edgeflange on the right hand side, the male edge flange having a flatportion 32 at right angles to the face portion, a curved portion 34having one edge coinciding with an edge of the flat portion 32, and aplane portion 36 having an edge coinciding with a second edge of thecurved portion 34.

The female edge flange includes a flat portion 38, a curved portion 40,a plane portion 42 and a second flat portion 44, eX- tending from theedge of the plane portion 42. The radius of curvature of the curved f'portion 40 is greater than the radius of curva- 70 ture of portion 34bya distance substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet metal ofwhich the slat is formed.- The plane portion 42 is wider than the planeportion 36 by a similar distance. i 75 It willfbe seen that whenadjacent slats are interlocked with portions 34-36 inside vof portions40-42-44, the slats may be moved relatively without their becomingdetached, provided, however, the movement be so not substantiallygreater than the normal range intended for such constructions. It willalso be seen that the slat joints are such that relative movement ofslats thru a wide angle is permitted without the slats becomingdetached,and in this way it is possible to roll a partitiom'comprising anumberiof these slats, around a very small radius.. f j f It often isdesired toprovide asmooth surfaceon both the front and-back sides of apartition made up of suchy slats and for this purpose there has beenprovided a liner such as the one illustrated atv 50. Each liner includesa'face portion 50, a flat portion 52,. curved portions 54 and 56' and asecond flat portion 58`disposed substantiallyin the manner shown.

It will Vbe seen that when a liner is yplaced in a slat, liner curvedportion 54 will be received within the slat curved portion 34 and curvedportion 56 will form a seat for the curved portion 40, fiat portion 52being spaced from a flat portion 44 of a neighboring slat and flatportion 58 engaging flat portion 38 of the slat. In this manner theliner is held securely in place with its face portion 50 substantiallycoplanar with the portions 42 of the slats.

When it is desired to mount a glass panel in place in the slats` suchmounting can be readily effected with slats of the type disclosed.Referring to F ig. 4, it will be seenthat there is provided a glasspanel 60 whose thickness is such that one edge will be disposed betweenand held in place by the face portion 30'of the slat and the curvedportion 40,the other edge beingheld in place by a clip 6 2 secured totheflat portion 32 by welding, soldering and the like. e

It will be noted, however, that other means such as tongues, Vnot shown,struck out from the flat' portion 32 or the curved portion 34 may bevused to hold the edge of the glass 60 in place. u

It will also be noted that a-'liner of the forni of Fig. 3 and with orwithout the flat portion 58 may be provided in slats of this lcharactereven though it is desired to mount a glass panel in place, although itis not generally desired to provide an opaque liner behind a glasspanel. n

Further, it will be understood that ywhile the joints have beendescribed in connection with vcabinet fronts, other analogous uses ofthe joints claimed may befound and such uses are not to be disclairned.Y

Now having described theinvention and the preferred embodiment thereof,it is to be understood that the said invention'is to limited, not to thespecific details herein set forth, but only by the scope of the claimswhich follow.

What I claim is l. A relatively narrowsheet metal slat for use .inroll-away partition construction, including a face portion, amale edgeflange and a female redge flange, each edge flange including a flatportion at right angles to the face portioma curved portion having oneedge coinciding with an edge of the flat gportion, and a plane portionhaving one edge coinciding with a second edge of the curved portion,there being a glassV panel in said slatV of a thickness substantiallyequal to th-e width of the edge flange flat portions, one edge of theglass being disposed between and held in place by the female edge flangecurved portion and the face portion.

2. .A relatively narrow sheet metal Slat for use in roll-away partitionconstruction, including a face portion, a male edgeflange and a femaleedge Hange, `each edge flange includl ing a flat portion at rightanglesto the face portion, a curved portion havingone edge coinciding with anedge of the flat portion, and a plane portion having one edge coincidingwith a second edge of the curved portion, there being-a glass panel insaid slat of a thickness substantially equal to the width of the edgeflange flat portions, one edge of the glass being disposed between andheld in place by thel female edge flange curved portion and the faceportion,'the other edge of the glass being held in place by a clipsecured to the male edge flange flat portion.

3. A slat for use in roll away partition construction including a faceand a pair of edge flanges, one of the edge flanges includingr a flatportion at right angles to the face and a curved portion bent towardsthe other edge flange and having an edge coinciding vwith an edge oftheflat portion, there being a glass panel in said slat of a thicknesssubstantially equal to the width of the edge flange flat portion, oneedge of the glass being disposed between and held in place by the edgeflange curved portion and the face.

4. A slat for use in roll away partition constructiony including a faceand a pair of edge flanges, one of the edge flanges including a flatportion at right angles to the face and a curved portion bent towardsthe other edge flange and having an edge coinciding with an edge of theHat portion, there being a glass panel in said slat of a thicknesssubstantially equal to the width of the edge flange flat portion, oneedgev of the glassbeing disposed between and held in place by the edgeflange curved portion and the face, the other edge of the glass beingheld in place by a clip secured to the other edge flange.

` i NORMAN A. BEST. l

